The Wrong Path (Companion Piece 8)
by Meamit
Summary: Companion Piece to Just Between Us. Halfway through a Triwizard Tournament Task is probably not the best place for a heart-to-heart, but since when have life-threatening situations ever stopped a Weasley? *Just conversation, no description* NB: Parts must be read with a French -or rather, Luxembourgeois- accent for best effect!


"'Ello? Fred? Are you 'ere? It is very dark and I cannot find a spell to make it bright again!"

"Maggie? Don't move! There's been some sort of avalanche here and the ground isn't level. I'll come to you, just keep talking so that I know which direction to move towards."

"Talking? About what shall I talk? Fred? This does not feel right, what we are doing."

"It doesn't?"

"No, not at all! I do not think we should continue anymore."

"Well I – er, that's a bit blunt."

_"Pardon?_ What do you mean?"

"Nothing, it's just – I thought we were doing pretty well."

"No! We are not on the right path, I think."

"Did I do something wrong?"

"We are both of us at fault, per'aps. We 'ave been fool'ardy,_ non?_ We 'ave rushed in when we should 'ave waited, should 'ave taken our time."

"But can't we take our time now? I'd rather take things slowly than give up."

"Give up? _Non_, it is not yet the moment for that! But we must tread carefully, it is risky for us now. I fear we are too late..."

"Too late? You just said a second ago that we shouldn't give up!"

"We must make a valiant effort, _bien sûr_, even though we are likely to fail."

"But I don't want to fail! I'm really serious about this, Maggie. I – I thought you were too."

"Oh Fred, you must understand, I 'ave liked this very much and I 'ave learned a great deal, but I do not care if it ends like this. There are more important things in life, _non?"_

"But – But I love you!"

"You – you _do?"_

"Oh, come on! I've heard that the French are aloof, but this is a bit much!"

"I told you before! I am from _Luxembourg_. And my mother, she was born 'ere and lived for six years 'ere – in England! – so do not call me French. Just because I speak the language –"

"Is that why we're fighting? Because I called you French before?"

"We are not fighting!"

"But – yes, we are! You just said that we – we 'rushed in'! We 'took the wrong path'! Why would you say all that, if you weren't breaking up with me?"

"Breaking up with you? _Non, non,_ Freddie! I did not say such a thing!"

"You said –"

_"Non,_ do not repeat what I say! I was not talking about _love_, I was talking about 'ow we are stuck 'ere, in the dark! We took the wrong path, I am sure of it. And now that 'orrible 'Ermann will win!"

"I don't care if he wins. You really aren't ending it? Us?"

_"Non,_ but of course not! I would rather lose all of my points and be 'ere with you, than be the winner out there, with 'im."

"Good. You gave me a bit of a shock just then!"

"So... you will say again what you said before?"

"What I said before?"

_"Oui_. About me."

"Er... that you're not French, you're from Luxembourg?"

_"Non!_ Not that, silly boy. About me and 'ow you _feel."_

"Oh. Oh! Well, it was the heat of the moment..."

"But you meant it?"

"Yeah. I did."

"_Bon! Parce que... moi aussi. Je t'aime aussi._"

"_Vraiment?"_

"Freddie! You 'ave learned French?!"

"A little bit. I mean, _un petit peu."_

"That is, above all things, the most romantic!"

"Well, your mum and dad arrived today, didn't they? I wanted to be able to say 'hello' – er, '_bonjour_,' I mean."

"_Merveilleux!_ And my brothers, also – you will be able to speak with all of them!"

"All of them? Less of that! You only have one, don't you?"

"_Non,_ I 'ave four brothers!"

"I distinctly remember you saying it was just you and Christophe at home."

"At 'ome, yes! But Jules, Rémi and Théo are all older than I. They 'ave not lived at 'ome in _years_. Jules even 'as a wife and son!"

"And they're all outside right now, waiting for you to finish?"

"But of course! They are very proud of me."

"Damn. Or rather, _fichu._"

"Ah, _très bien dit!_ But you are nervous_, mon chéri?_ Do not worry ! My family, they 'ave all 'eard about you in my letters. My mother is more excited to see _you_ than to see me, I think."

"Oh Godric, this'll be a shambles. I've already forgotten what I wanted to say! What is it again... _c'est un plaisir de – de –_"

"Fred, there is no need for the nerves! You 'ave fought a Chimaera and survived, _oui?_ My brothers, they are not so scary as that. I promise."

"Well, I'm more likely to make it into their good books if we get out of here in one piece. Give me your hand, come on."

"'Ow do you know where is safe to walk? Did you not say that the ground 'as opened?"

"I'm just testing it with a foot before I take a step. Don't worry."

"Be careful! This is all the fault of that stupid 'Ermann, 'e must 'ave spelled the door closed and caused the stones to fall."

"My uncle's going to kill me. He worked in the pyramids for years, told me all about them. I reckon I should've been more prepared for something like this."

"This is the uncle 'oo is the father of Dominique? I like 'er very much, she speaks French well. She throws a strong punch also, _non?_"

"Yes, that's the one. Dominique's dad – my uncle – was a curse-breaker for Gringotts. But I don't remember him mentioning a curse that made the place pitch... Hang on – can you feel a breeze?"

"_Pardon?_"

"A breeze! A breeze! There's a door here, somewhere! Reach your hand out... there, can you feel it?"

"Certainly, I can! We might 'ave a chance after all, do you think?"

"I hope so! The rock seam is quite wide. Come on, if we both blast it at the same time, it might give way on the first go."

"Wait!"

"What? What's wrong?"

"What if we get there first, before 'im? What will we do?"

"Do you want to go in separate directions once we get out of here? That way, it's fair game."

"You are 'appy to do this?"

"Yeah. No matter what happens, I'll be happy. And I've won the best prize already, haven't I? I've got you."

"_Ça alors_, but they did not tell me that the English boys would be so _charmant!_"

"What can I say? It's the Weasley genes."

"Mmm... It is lucky for me then, that I found a Weasley for my own!"

"You are fairly_ charmant_ yourself, you know."

"Ah, merci! But this is not the time to kiss and talk sweetly. We must blast away this most ridiculous wall and try to win, if only to keep that 'Ermann pig away from the trophy!"

"Right, on the count of three – one... two... THREE!"

* * *

A/N: I used some of my very basic French in this story, but for those of you who studied a different foreign language at school:

_'bien sûr' = of course/to be sure_

___'Bon! Parce que... moi aussi. Je t'aime aussi.' = Good! Because... me too. I love you too._

_____'Vraiment?' = Truly?_

_______'Merveilleux_!' = Wonderful!

_____'très bien dit!' = very well said_

_______'c'est un plaisir de – de –' = it is a pleasure to – to –_

_________'__Ça _ alors' = Gosh/Goodness

_________'charmant' = charming_


End file.
